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High concentration of grass snakes: |
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clare Member Joined: 09 Apr 2007 No. of posts: 19  View other posts by clare |
Posted: 22 Apr 2007 Hi All Yesterday at Lakeside nature reserve near Ash in Surrey I counted 13 grass snakes including one individual of approx 4 1/2 feet in a small patch of heather about 20m x 15m bordered on three sides by water. Is this a large number or is this not unusual in suitable habitat? Cheers Clare
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Alan Hyde Senior Member Joined: 17 Apr 2003 No. of posts: 1416  View other posts by Alan Hyde |
Posted: 22 Apr 2007 Hi Clare, I live in Ash 
I've not looked around the area you mention, sounds interesting! Maybe this was mating activity and that's why there were so many in such a small concentrated space All the best, Al O-> O+> |
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AGILIS Senior Member Joined: 27 Feb 2007 No. of posts: 694  View other posts by AGILIS |
Posted: 23 Apr 2007 hi Clare glad your concentrated site is producing one of mine that always had plenty it seems they have all dissapeared been there three times not seen one once you couldnt move few yards without disturbing one and the weather has been ideal .. good job its not the only place I go keith LOCAL ICYNICAL CELTIC ECO WARRIOR AND FAILED DRUID |
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Robert V Senior Member Joined: 06 Aug 2004 No. of posts: 717 View other posts by Robert V |
Posted: 23 Apr 2007
Clare, sounds like a mating ball.... Always good to watch. did they race around after one another or just stay still? R RobV |
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Vicar Senior Member Joined: 02 Sep 2004 No. of posts: 1181 View other posts by Vicar |
Posted: 24 Apr 2007 You know, I only live in Farnham but have never actually set foot on the Lakeside Nature Reserve, although I drive past it every day !  It sounds like your fairly local to a few of us on here Clare  .Steve Langham - Chairman 
Surrey Amphibian & Reptile Group (SARG). |
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clare Member Joined: 09 Apr 2007 No. of posts: 19 View other posts by clare |
Posted: 25 Apr 2007 Most of the grass snakes were in individual spots, basking apart from three which were together. The only racing around they did was when I tried to photograph them. I think I need to go a bit earlier in the day before they warm up. Lakeside is a good spot. Normally I expect to see three or four grass snakes at a time there which I thought was a good number until Saturday. There's also sometimes an adder or two in the heather but I haven't seen one at this site so far this year. I will make an effort during the year to keep an eye on the numbers there to see if this was just due to mating. Clare
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st rick Senior Member Joined: 26 Apr 2006 No. of posts: 141  View other posts by st rick |
Posted: 25 Apr 2007 Clare Thanks for the tip And I thought Vicar knew every single grass snake spot in Surrey - if not every single grass snake. Shame on you, Steve |
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Suzi Senior Member Joined: 06 Apr 2005 No. of posts: 860 View other posts by Suzi |
Posted: 25 Apr 2007 I like it on this forum when someone says "I think I know that adder"...or it might be a grass snake. With Tony in South Africa knowing some of them as well it is most strange! Methinks our Devon reptiles might not be such celebrities  Suz |
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Vicar Senior Member Joined: 02 Sep 2004 No. of posts: 1181 View other posts by Vicar |
Posted: 26 Apr 2007 [QUOTE=st rick]And I thought Vicar knew every single grass snake spot in Surrey - if not every single grass snake. Shame on you, Steve [/QUOTE]ROFL...far from it ! Though I did get a tip the other day of a spot closeby with at least one 5ft individual. We'll have to take a look at the site  .Steve Langham - Chairman
Surrey Amphibian & Reptile Group (SARG). |
- High concentration of grass snakes |